Menu

Tag Archives: Felix Hernandez

I’ve been challenged in blogging lately, but that should end
today. I apologize to all my readers for being away, but in the
words of that great philosopher Arnold Schwarzenegger, “I’m
Back!”

The Seahawks still have the inside track for the NFC West. With
all teams losing last week, we just simply advanced a week on the
schedule. The next two weeks are critical for the Hawks. They have
home games against Kansas City and Carolina. I view these as
“must-wins.” If they do, that puts them at 7 wins with division
games against San Francisco (road) and St. Louis (home). A win
against the Rams would put them at 8 wins and essentially give them
the division. The loss against New Orleans didn’t hurt. The next 2
weeks may mean the season.

I have a funny feeling that Jake Locker and the Huskies will
make the Apple Cup meaningful by beating Cal on Saturday. A road
win in the Pac-10 is always tough, but I don’t think the Bears have
shown a whole lot of mental toughness under Jeff Tedford. Take last
year’s game at Husky Stadium. I’m looking for a close game and a
Husky win at 24-21. If they don’t make a bowl game, they can look
back at the Arizona State game at home as the season killer. Let’s
hope that doesn’t happen.

Felix Hernandez unquestionably was the Cy Young winner. I am so
pleased that the baseball writers got past the 13 win total. Had
his mates posted another 13 runs cumulatively, he may have been at
21 wins! Next year will be no different unless we can get some
bats. The hot stove league should be interesting this year.

Keep watching for me on Twitter – @DailyDanSports for daily
updates. I will be tweeting on the football games tomorrow!

Let’s start with the “Ugly” and work backwards. I like ending on
a high note…

High School Football – I was at the North Kitsap – Bremerton
game Friday night. Bremerton dominated. RB Kyle Kennedy (amended)
reminds me of John Riggins. They trounced the home-standing Vikings
and deserve accolades for the win. Why is this an “Ugly?” Because
Bremerton coach Nate Gillem allowing his team to humiliate an
opponent is totally classless. Bremerton intercepted a Viking pass
on their own 3-yard line with only a couple of minutes left in the
game. They were winning 35-7. Game over, right? Wrong.

After getting out of the shadow of their goal line, Bremerton
preceded to pass the ball downfield (with their starters) to
attempt to score again. They threw long, they ran trick plays, as
NK coach Steve Frease screamed at them from the other side of the
field with his finger pointing to…the scoreboard.

With seconds to go, Bremerton ran a reverse play to score a TD.
Not an off-tackle, not a dive, but a reverse. Thank goodness they
were called for holding, so it didn’t stand. They then kneeled down
to end the game, but the damage was done.

Gillem explained they needed the win (already firmly in place by
only 4 tD’s). He also said he let his players call the plays.
Great. So that’s why every coach on your sideline was encouraging
the players to score. Sportsmanship needs to at least stay in high
school sports. In an era where parents are out of control on
expectations, and kids are being wooed by colleges at younger and
younger ages, you’d hope coaches would at least show some measure
of respect and charity. I’m all about winning. I’m not about
humiliating kids and coaches in front of their fans. Coach Nate
Gillem was way over the line and should be reprimanded. His players
should have been in the spotlight after the game. Not him.

Bad – the Seattle Seahawks offense. Fortunately for them, the
“Ugly” went to someone else. Special teams won the game the
previous week. No such luck in St. Louis. Coach Carroll has 2 weeks
to figure out a way to make first downs, much less touchdowns. This
is getting to be as anemic as the Mariners offense. And they at
least had Felix Hernandez to help them out every 5 days. Oh, wait.
They never scored runs when he pitched. Never mind.

Good – Spectacular – Tremendous – Jake Locker was left for dead
by the national media and even members of his local media and fans.
Like the Phoenix, he rose from the ashes and single-handedly led
his team to a huge victory in Los Angeles over USC. Nebraska? A
distant memory. 1-0 in conference and one win closer to a bowl
game. If it took the Nebraska loss to catapult them into a positive
Pac-10 season, I’ll take that loss every time. That could very well
be a season-defining win for this team.

P.S. My daughter and I tied for the Fantasy Baseball bragging
rights. I guess we will have to break that tie next year!

1 – Berhard Langer deserved the win at Sahalee over the weekend
at the US Senior Open. He played brilliantly. You can’t recover
from a triple-bogey on a Par 5 in a major champonship. Fred Couples
gave it a valiant effort, but he was done at that point.

2 – The Mariners stink offensively. I know that this is not news
to you, but being stuck in my seat after surgery, I forced myself
to watch them. This is the worst offense I have ever seen. Heads
need to roll. Not sure who, but they do.

3 – Felix Hernandez impressed me. He wasn’t sharp on Saturday
giving up 3 quick runs in the 1st inning. After that, nothing.
That’s the mark of an excellent pitcher. To gut through a bad start
and then keep your tram in the game. Kudos to him and to pitching
coach Rick Adair. I’m seeing a lot of that from our pitchers.

4 – Football is back! The Pete Carroll era is upon us and I must
admit I am very intrigued. After a 5-11 season, this would have
been the only thing intriguing me about the Hawks. From that
standpoint alone, it was a brilliant move.